Lorien Short Stories
by lemon-moon
Summary: Just little what ifs that have been on my mind that I'd like to finally write down. Many are pretty extreme, but I love the series and need some way to make it until the next book O-O. Rated higher because there's cussing and violence.


**Nine + Seven  
><strong>****Because I like the idea of Nine softening up to be there for Marina. This is for those who felt the same way :3****

Nine's POV

We run to the edge of the trees and pause, Marina listens for oncoming Mogadorians, but I pretty much think we are out of danger. Now all we have to do is wait for John and the others to pick our butts up and get out of here. For the last two days Marina and I had been on a rescue mission to free the new recruits. They have legacies of their own and all—but the sorry asses didn't have enough skill...so Marina and I got them to safety. We got left behind to make sure everyone got out and Adam or John were supposed to be on their way to pick us up now. We weren't supposed to fight the mogs but Marina wiped out a whole floor regardless.

"Sorry again." Marina pants. "I just—lost control."

I think back to watching Marina moving around, making killing hordes of Mogs look like a ballet or something. That feeling I got when I watched her still hums in my stomach, it's pleasant and spiky at the same time. Like bliss and some kind of wrongness all at once. There really is no denying it, though I try, ever since Eight was killed I picked up a role of protector to Marina. Not that she quite needed protecting, I mean, the chick could conjure up a twenty foot spike of ice with the snap of her fingers. I knew she was still fragile, I knew she still hurt. The selfish part of me wanted her to move on, wanted her for myself. I had never quite felt this way before. Sure there was that girl who betrayed me, but looking back it was miniscule compared to what I feel for Marina.

It feels so, strange. I always thought I was tough, well I am tough…but what I mean is I assumed my mind was impenetrable to emotions other than hate and revenge. It was a weird thing that this, my feelings for Marina could strike me the way it did. Right now I am pretending to keep watch. I look around diligently while avoiding watching her. I can't help but lead my gaze back to Marina.

Beautiful.

Did I just think that? Yeah. I did. Thank goodness no one can read minds. Anyway I let my gaze roam her before glancing away as she turns to face me. Marina tells me a joke and although I feel vulnerable I am able to keep my cool and remain inside my shell. As she paces warily I slip a bit. I reassure her everything will be fine. She bites her lip in stress. The corners of my mouth twitch.

I walk closer to her and she looks up for a moment and smiles one of her rare smiles. That makes me happier than I think all of this can bear. Just like always the smile is short lived. I might just put that smile on my list of things to save along with Earth and Lorien. She slides down to sit on the ground against a thick tree, I wait a few minutes before joining her. When I descend she scoots a bit so I have room. We wait longer in silence before Marina tilts her head slightly and murmurs that she hopes john and them are okay. I look at her and laugh off her fears. We knew they'd be a little off. She nods.

Time passes and the group still haven't shown up. Marina nods off and then jolts. I can see her blink and focus for a moment before she's fighting her body to stay awake.  
>"You can go to sleep if you want." I suggest. "I'll wake you up when they get here."<p>

"I'll wait until I get back to the camp. This tree is really uncomfortable." Marina sighs.

"Come on." I say, patting my shoulder. It wouldn't be the first time Marina used my shoulder as a pillow. Several times we were out together on training trips we'd sleep next to each other. It was always nice to have something pretty to look at each morning when I woke up, especially after spending a day and half a night looking at all of the ugly chaos going on around us.

"Adam is gonna be here any minute." Marina says. "I can deal with it."

"Yeah, you're pretty tough." I stretch out my arms and then fold the behind my head. "Even Sleep's ass you can kick."

I look over at Marina, her chin is tucked in and her mouth is open. I laugh at her and with a snort she wakes up.

"Wh—what, Nine?!"

I laugh again.

"Damn it." She mutters, lightly slapping her face. "I guess I could sleep for a bit."

I re-position myself and open my arm for her. Marina slides next to me and lays her head on chest and then curls her arm over my abdomen. We've slept side by side before, but never this close. This chick can make the temp go from 90 to 0 in three seconds flat—but now she is so warm. I try to keep cool, but my heart is racing. I can feel butterflies buzzing in my stom-Did I really just think that, fuck. I really need to man up.

I'm feeling a bit of panic now. It's almost sundown and Adam and John still haven't appeared. Marina breathes in and stirs a bit. I watch a smile form on her face. Whatever she's dreaming about, it must be good. The reality kind of hurts a bit, no doubt she's dreaming about Eig-.

"Nine." Marina breathes. "Shut up…"

"Marina…" I say, startled.

"Yeah?" Marina asks.

"Um-." I didn't think she would hear me.

Marina unwinds herself off of me and sits up. She fixes her hair and looks a bit uncomfortable.

"I can't believe they still haven't made it." Marina sighs.

"I don't know what's taking them I admit." I know they should have already been here a while ago.

"Should we find a way back? There might be trouble."

I think for a moment. "How about we give them until morning—and if they still haven't gotten here then—we go ourselves."

"Sounds good." Marina agrees, rubbing her hands together.

"Soooooo, what was that dream about?"

Marina's eyes widen a bit and then she plays it cool. "I can't remember, I probably didn't even have a dream…"

"Cool." I say.

"Cool-." She agrees.

"But—I did hear you say my name, you told me to shut up."

"Shut up Nine." She says.

"Yeah, kinda like that. Only you were asleep."

"That's weird."

"It's okay, I think all girls kinda dream about me, I have that effect on them."

"wow."

"I know."

"Have you ever even been with a girl before?" Marina asks.

"Yeah, just one. You know how the story goes…no happy ending there…"

"Oh. Oh yeah-sorry."

"It's whatever, I'm over it."

"Cool."

"Did you ever date any guys in Spain or wherever?"

Marina shook her head. "No, I never really got into that—being at a convent and all... I guess Eight was the first guy I was ever close enough too…"

"I never apologized-."

"About what?" Marina gazes at me and I have to look away.

"We both know that-."

"Five killed Eight, yeah, we both know that." Marina crosses her arms and grips her shoulders.

"You really believe that?" I sigh.

"Yes." Marina turns her body to face me. "Look I know I was pissed off seemingly at you for a while—but I knew all along who was at fault. You may have instigated Five's anger, poked at him and all…but it was still him…100% Five."

"I don't want you to be mad at me ever again." I murmur.

"What?" Marina asks."

I turn so that I am facing her too. "You just—mean a lot to me now."

Everything has been fight fight fight and for the first time something else has come that invited passion into my body. Maybe even love of some kind. I take a risk and cup her face in my hand. Her brown eyes are glittering and her lips are slightly parted. A hunger of some sort wells up inside of me and I speak sweetly to her as I draw closer. I am about to drop my hand before I do something I regret when Marina puts her hand over mine. In the end I am still a coward but who cares. I am actually aching for this. I take a deep breath and draw her to me. Marina's eyes darken as I bring my face in closer. She whispers my name.

And like a magnet I am drawn in by a force I have never encountered before. I press my lips to hers, nervous at first how will she react. She doesn't and it scares me. The contact sends pins and needles down my spine. I take her lips with my own. And then the unthinkable happens. Marina is kissing me back. I can't get close enough to her yet we are so close that there is no gap between us. I don't understand why she is but she is. We are just starting out and I am afraid I am too rough. Over and over again her lips are in between mine then mine are in between hers. When she wraps an arm around my neck shivers radiate through me. She pulls me close with intensity. It's so weird but I glide my tongue across the smooth inside of her mouth and she shivers too. I continue to caress her face like I had wanted to for a very long time. Our contact is still rough, but passionate and I can feel our hearts beating against each other like drums. I feel her fingers in my hair and it feels amazing. The pressure the heat the everything. I let go for a second and we both take a breath but I just can't stop. I bring my lips down again and she meets me halfway. They are together for a moment and then we pull apart to re grip . Her head is tilted left, mine right. We kiss a pull apart making a smack sound that drives me wild. Now her head is right mine is left. We kiss and pull apart roughly and do it again. I hug her to me now. My hands are gripping her shoulder blades I am careful not to overwhelm her with my strength. Her hands slide down my arms and back up them again and again like my hand is to her back. We are an inferno. Every once in a while one of us nips the other and we make these tiny sounds. Eventually we begin to slow. We aren't as rapid any more. Instead I kiss her long and deeply hoping everything I ever felt for her is drawn in the movements of my mouth on hers. I don't want to stop, I want to replay the moment over and over again. I begin to have hope that she will be mine and I hers. But when I open my eyes I see tears streaming out of her own closed eyes. Then I realize I can feel them two. Her tears share both our cheeks. I break away and she doesn't look up at me, and it picks at my heart.

"Marina?" I whisper.  
>She opens her eyes and smiles. She pulls me close to her and this time she kisses me first. Multiple small kisses that I can't help but to return. Her fingers hook onto me as she transfers her emotions to me unknowingly. I kiss her again and again and again until she pulls away. Fresh tears fall down.<p>

"What is it?" I murmur before kissing the side of her mouth hungrily still.

"I'm sorry." Marina whimpers softly.

I have to say it. " Marina, I love you."

Marina breathes through her nose. "I love you too."

"But?"

"I loved him first."

"He's gone. Forever." I feel like a jerk for saying so. I am a jerk.

Marina looked down with shame and impeccable hurt. "I don't think he is."

"So what now? Do you—do you regret kissing me?"

"No."

"Marina, there isn't any reason to let yourself be alone."

"I know, it's just-."

The sound of the airship interrupts us as the wind blows away any loose foliage on the trees. Adam is here.

We both look up and watch it descend. Together we stand up, Marina holds herself and makes toward the ship.

"Wait!" I call out for her.

She stops. I step over to her and grab her hand. She pulls it away. "Nine—I can't—I know I kissed you—I wanted to kiss you—but I feel so wrong with that. Eight's waiting for me, I know it."

I couldn't believe how much emotions could hurt. It was like a sucker punch to the gut.

"I understand, Look. I still don't want to lose you okay. I don't want anything to come between us. Let's forget what happened alright? We'll just stay friends." I watch her hopefully. The door to the airship opens.

"I'd like that." Marina murmurs, and then hugs me. For a moment, and I'll never repeat this again ever, my eyes sting, and I have to blink away the blurriness. But when we pull apart I hide the pain and say.

"Let's get out of this hell hole."


End file.
